Baker Mayfield wagered high on himself when he decided to sign a prove it deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to the 2023 NFL season. Although the expectations weren’t high, there was still pressure on the 28-year-old quarterback in replacing the great Tom Brady. Not only did he performed, but he is also on the brink of earning himself a big pay day.
In leading the Buccaneers to an NFC South championship and a playoff appearance, Mayfield put himself back on the map as a franchise quarterback. A competitor, a risk-taker and a playmaker, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft showed he can lead an offense.
Will there be a big market for Baker Mayfield in NFL Free Agency?
With a few QB-hungry teams around the league, Mayfield will be a top free agent if the Buccaneers allow him to reach the market. To keep him in a Bucs’ uniform, they will have to spend.
According to NFL Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero & Mike Garafolo, Tampa Bay will need to open the check book:
“There’s mutual interest in Mayfield returning to Tampa Bay for a second season. But there’s a strong chance it’ll be a lot more expensive this time: After earning just under $7 million in 2024 for a team that was cash and salary-cap strapped, Mayfield now is a free agent again and positioned to cash in.”
If Mayfield sees a bigger contract out there for him (which could command around $75 million), perhaps he still decides to test the market to explore his worth. Here are four potential big contract options for Mayfield in NFL free agency.
Denver Broncos are in need of a quarterback, why not Baker Mayfield?
With the Russell Wilson experience in Denver likely over, the Broncos will once again be on the market for a new quarterback. Whether that is through the 2024 NFL Draft or free agency, expect Sean Payton to be in the mix for the top options. In free agency, that could be either Ryan Tannehill or Mayfield.
Tannehill would make more sense as a bridge quarterback, but if Payton and the Broncos are willing to shell out the dough, Mayfield is the better option as a playmaking quarterback who could carry the team for a few years.
Like Tampa, the Broncos have some playmakers on offense. Playing under a coach like Payton, Mayfield could excel as a playmaker, but signing him would possibly result in the Broncos changing their offensive gameplan a bit to fit his strengths. That would be to compliment a down-the-field passer who isn’t afraid to take risks.
With playmakers like Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy on the outside, bringing Mayfield onboard could lead to a more explosive offense in Denver. That’s if the Broncos can keep that wide receiver tandem intact.
The Broncos are not on the top of this list, but when it comes to the quarterback market, they are a team that will be kicking the tires on all QB options.
Could the New England Patriots turn to Baker Mayfield as their quarterback in 2024?
Are the New England Patriots in the mix for Baker Mayfield?
The team was rumored to have interest in Mayfield during the 2018 NFL Draft. There were even rumblings that Bill Belichick wanted to sign Mayfield in free agency. If both are true, the Patriots are a team that can’t be ruled out, especially with the cap space they will have entering the offseason.
With the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the team has been linked to either Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, but if they go the route of signing a QB like Mayfield in free agency, the Patriots will open many options with that No. 3 pick. That is what ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler presented in their way-too-early Super Bowl predictions and offseason moves article.
Fowler wrote:
“While Tampa is the clear-cut favorite to re-sign Mayfield, now a coveted free agent after a banner year with the Bucs, anything can happen in free agency. And the Patriots’ new brain trust — including lead personnel man Eliot Wolf and personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith — were part of the Cleveland regime that took Mayfield No. 1 in the 2018 draft. They believed in him. Yes, the Patriots can take a quarterback at No. 3 overall. But who’s to say they wouldn’t still need a veteran? Or, if they believe Mayfield is a long-term answer in this case, they could draft Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. or trade back for more capital.”
Adding Mayfield in free agency and drafting Harrison Jr. would be a tremendous upgrade for the offense. That would allow them to still draft a quarterback in the later rounds but will also allow them to draft an offensive difference maker in MHJ and retool in other areas in free agency and the rest of the draft.
Minnesota Vikings could turn to Baker Mayfield if the price it too high for Kirk Cousins
If the Vikings can’t re-sign Kirk Cousins or find a way to trade up for one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, Mayfield could be a top free agent target for Minnesota. There will be other options out there for a veteran QB either via free agency or trade, but Mayfield is an option if the price is too high for Cousins, or the veteran is lured away by another team.
Although the Vikings may rather Cousins, Mayfield is a younger option who is coming off a season with the Buccaneers in which he threw for over 4,000 yards and led the team to a playoff berth. With his rejuvenation in Tampa Bay and highly competitive nature, Mayfield could have Vikings fans not missing Cousins very quickly. That’s if they get the Pro Bowl version of the 28-year-old QB.
The big question for the Vikings will be whether to offer big money to Mayfield? It will be dependent on how the quarterback market plays out and it will start with what Cousins decides to do.
After the season Mayfield had with the Buccaneers, other teams will be interested, which means he will have his choice of teams and will likely make his decision based on which situation appeals to him. The Vikings are an appealing destinating because of the weapons they do have on offense. Mayfield was magical in 2023 throwing the ball to Mike Evans. Imagine how effective he can be with weapons such as Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson.
If Cousins doesn’t re-sign with the Vikings, watch out for Mayfield to Minnesota.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers looking to re-sign Mayfield prior to NFL free agency
It makes most sense for Mayfield to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers given the success he had in 2023. If the team can lock up Mike Evans prior to free agency, there would be a greater chance of the team keeping Mayfield as well.
The Mayfield to Evans connection in Tampa was electric and bring both players back should be a priority of the team. But what will get it done for the Buccaneers? That could be just above a three-year, $75 million deal according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. That is a starting point that rivals what Geno Smith got with the Seattle Seahawks after a similar comeback player performance after his first season with the team.
Jones writes:
"It's possible, if not likely, the Buccaneers would value Mayfield more than any other NFL team. But that doesn't mean they can lowball him and run the risk of disrespecting the quarterback. A reasonable starting point, according to league sources, would be a tick above Geno Smith's three-year, $75 million deal with Seattle last year that allowed for a Seahawks out after one season."
Mayfield, who was a bargain free agent signing prior to the 2023 NFL season, took a team that was on the brink of rebuilding following Tom Brady’s retirement to an NFC South Championship and a playoff victory. In passing for over 4,000 yards, 28 touchdowns and forming that connection with Evans, Mayfield looked very much like the quarterback prospect he was coming out of the University of Oklahoma.
If the price is right, Mayfield will be motivated to run it back. It sounds like both sides are interested in making that happen.